For more than 20 years, Debra Pickett has blended business, legal and media acumen with outstanding communication skills to partner with attorneys, issue advocates, political candidates and executives to get their messages out to key constituencies. Today she leads a team of experienced journalists, editors, marketers and campaign professionals serving as advisors to the next generation of law firm leadership.
Debra's work as a communications strategist and consigliere to managing partners, marketing directors and practice chairs is informed by her long experience as a journalist and author, specializing in translating complex legal, technical and policy language into compelling articles, speeches and books. She leverages her deep connections with Chicago and national media to facilitate the placement of stories and articles that advance her clients’ interests, enhance their reputations and build their brands.
A lifelong writer, Debra spent the early part of her professional life as a management consultant, leading teams implementing technological and organizational change efforts, while also pursuing a freelance writing career. After several years in consulting, Debra was recruited by a former client to serve as the operations director of a technology start-up. Chronicling the ups and downs of her dot-com life in a nationally recognized series of articles, Debra made the switch to full-time work as a journalist in October 2000.
Less than two years after joining the staff of the Chicago Sun-Times, Debra was writing weekly columns for the paper’s coveted Page 2 column (former home of the legendary Mike Royko). Her journalism career also included launching the paper’s first blog and contributing to television news coverage at CNN, WBBM and WTTW.
Debra founded Page 2 Communications in 2011, focusing her media strategy and communications consultancy on the needs of law firms and their clients, specifically in the areas of media training, trial publicity and public relations.
